Living it
by Anonemity
Summary: Totally absolutely crazy. New school. Same people, only not. New life. Trory. MURDER. More explanation inside.
1. Let's start with an end

**I know I promised a prison break, and I have even contemplated the idea of a R/J, but when I was hit with a fabulistical plot idea, the characters just _had_ to be Trory. This story is absolutely nuts. Is the term AU correct? I don't know what it stands for, but it is usually applied to stories with crazy ideas. I also must warn you that as I am on an independence kick, there isn't much story at all for the older generation. Like, at all, at all. You'll see.  
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**Anyway, this story definitely needs a plot summary of the beginning. Richard and Emily were involved in a horrible car crash 3 years ago, and to escape the tragedy and heart wrenching memories, our favorite girls packed their bags and moved to San Fran. Aside from R/E, this story will be sprinkled with all your favorite people, though, in a different setting altogether.**

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* * *

**"Mom, I can't believe you got tickets to PJ Harvey!" Lorelai smiled.

"Back stage passes to PJ Harvey!" Rory obsessed. The night had been amazing. Upon coming to the gates of the concert with no tickets, Rory had been skeptical, sure enough. I mean, who wouldn't be? Yet her mother kept insisting that they would see whatever they wanted. Rory had kept her disbelief to a minimal amount, enjoying the company Lorelai provided. So when her mom had run up to the bouncer and hugged him like a brother, Rory had almost fallen over in shock.

Apparently Lorelai was friends with the club owner, having dated the manager before he owned it.

"Oh yes, mother despised ol' Digger, which is probably why I dated him in the first place. It's too bad he had that whole hygene thing..." she mused idly. Rory cracked up.

"What!"

"Well, he wasn't a fan of the washing...no. Back then he had long hair, too, which if left to stew a while, becomes less than pleasent. It was okay though, the break up went fine. It's nice that we can both look back on those gaudy times of misled hair and spandex, and still mooch off free VIP's to a show." Rory was doubled over in her seat from laughter. It was late at night, and there were no cars out on the street. Well, actually, it was early in the morning, but that's not the point.

"So all I have to do is date some unwashed kid now, and I can continue the family tradition?" Rory snarked. Lorelai slammed her foot on the brakes of her car, putting them at a full stop.

"Don't even think about it!" she ordered, and Rory giggled.

"Drive, Mom, drive!" Lorelai gave her a reproachful glare and slowly began driving again.

-

The'r house was a small one, on the coast of the beach. What it lacked for size and comfort, it made up for in location and view, and Rory was fine with that. Just her and her mom, it wasn't as if they had that many things anyway. Well, it wasn't as if Rory did. Lorelai had a tendancy to let her possesions spill out into the garage and front lawn, but who's really counting?

Rory went into her room and climbed onto her bed. She stood on her knees and faced the window, losing herself in the sight of the rolling waves during the night.

"Hun," her mother's voice shocked her from her dreamy reverie, and she yawned.

"Gnight, mom," she mumbled sleepily, and Lorelai closed the door. As she did every night, Rory closed her eyes to the friendly image of her smiling grandparents. Tonight she was reading with Richard, the newspaper. Emily was fussing over them and telling her husband to drink more tea...

-

Sunlight hit her face, and Rory squinted as she woke. The sun hurt her eyes, and she sat up and rubbed the sleep from them. In the bright morning light her entire room was illuminated. Her poster lined walls, her piles and piles of books. Her floor was ccovered by a turquoise shag carpet, and her clothes were neatly put out for her to wear today. Her alarm clock was---

fast.

It had to be. There was no way she could possibly have woken up this

"Late! Mom we are so late! I missed my bus 47 minutes ago! Get up!" she ordered, pulling away Lorelai's pillow and pulling open the curtains.

"Not! Nice!" Lorelai complained, but Rory remained persistant.

"Mom I need to go to school! Or else I'll never go to college, and I'll never get filthy rich, which means that pony you wanted will never, ever happen!" Lorelai sat up.

"Mister Wilbur?" she sniffed.

"Mister Wilbur." Her mother sighed theatrically.

"Fine..."

Rory loved these mornings the best. Although she was crestfallen at having missed her first class (Political Theory), she enjoyed the wild explosion of energy and excitement these mornings entailed. A stop at starbucks, a speeding car ride, blaring music. She arrived at school with a venti caremel macciado with 6 extra espresso shots, and a wide grin on her face. When she arrived at school, first period had just ended. There was a 10 minute period during which to walk around, finish homework and catch up wit hthe day, and Rory grinned to see that her best friend in the world, Jess, was waiting for her.

"Well well, Ror, late night?" he asked, and she smiled.

"The concert was amazing! Mom knew the owner of the club, and we got backstage." Jess's eyes widened slightly, and the narrowed into a knowing smile.

"Trust Lorelai to make PJ Harvey even better," he said. Then his attention moved lightly past Rory, focusing on something behind her. She tried her best to act inconspicuous, turning to look and running her hand through her hair awkwardly. Jess snickered.

"Gee, thanks sherlock," he deadpanned, "That was reeaal subtle. Anyway, I gotta go to class." He went back into the school, and Rory turned around one last time to see the figure Jess had been looking at. She was surprised to see he had walked right up to her.

"Uh, hi," she greeted.

"Hi, I'm Matt." Navy blue hair, tall, crooked smile. Cute, she supposed, though certainly not her type.

"Um, look, Matt, I'm sure you're very nice and all, but--"

"--Actually, I wanted to ask about your friend..."

Rory smiled in relief and understanding. Jess would be so happy.

-

97 tiles. Her classroom had, if you combined the cumulative half tiles, 97 tiles. Rory looked around the room some more, her eyes finally, unwillingly resting on the textbook in front of her. It wasn't as if she was a bad student, far from it. In fact, she was acing every other class of hers. It was just Astronomy which plagued her.

Astronomy. The bane of her very existance, the reason she dreaded school. She could understand the subject fine, that wasn't the problem. The problem lay within the fact that the class was So. Boring. She sat in the classroom for 80 minutes every day, and each one dripped with boredome. She had observed everything there was to observe about the actual room, the classmates, and the teacher. She had even done a psychological study of her teacher and his childhood, based on the inherent motions he made with his hands, and the mannerisms in his everyday speech.

Currently, she sat in on of these mind numbing sessions, wishing she werent. She looked at the clock again. Had it really only been 24 minutes since she entered the room? She could have sworn a moment ago the clock had read a further time. She idly took her pen, and doodled in the margin of her book.

_Asstronomy._

As soon as she wrote it she regretted it. She hadn't even meant to, yet suddenly Rory found herself in a moral dillema. She had defaced public property. Vandalized. She looked around, but no one had noticed. She swiflty turned the page, hiding her action. Okay, she thought to herself, back to astronomy. She focused her eyes on the board.

"Will miss Lorelai Gilmore please report to the princial's office immediately." the intercom reported, and Rory's head whipped up. How could they know? How could they possibly, really, know already? She stood up and gathered her books, stuffing them into her yellow backpack. Her teacher nodded at her, then turned back to the class and continued to explain the value of a globular cluster. Rory fled the room and didn't look back.

-

The principal's office was stuffy. Now just pretentious decorating stuffy, but the actual air seemed filled. The walls were bare, and the floor carpeted. Rory spposed it could have been the carpeting which made her feel the need to sneeze upon entry of the office, though the intense air conditioning may have contruibuted as well. She scrunched her nose and ignored the discomfort.

The principal motioned for her to sit across from her, at her large grey desk. The woman herself was middle aged, with salt and pepper hair tied back in a severe bun. She donned a purple tweed skirt suit. Rory sat newvously, waiting for Mrs. Yen to speak. When it appeared she wasn't going to, Rory began.

"If this is about the textbook..."

"What?" the statement had apparently snapped the woman from her thoughts. "No, this has nothing to do with a book." she paused a moment, then asked suspisiously, "Why? Oh nevermind, that's not important." once again she stared at Rory, frowning slightly.

"Well...?" Rory filled the silence.

"Ms. Gilmore, I'm afraid there has been a terrible accident." Rory froze, trying to think of what could have happened. Nothing came to her.

"There was a drunk driver, and...your mother was involved." The air seemed to thicken, making breath suddenyl hard to find. It was heavy, and Rory felt her chest tighten with dread.

"Where is my mother?" she asked.

"She was hit by the driver from the left side..."

"Where is my mom?" she asked again, raising her voice slightly.

"Ms. Gilmore I am so sorry."

"Where is she!" Rory half screamed, standing up from her chair.

"I'm afraid she didn't make it." the woman reported soflty. Rory sat down again. Everything seemed to be moving so slowly. The woman across from her blinked several times, so Rory focused on that. She was at a complete loss now. What was she supposed to do? She flashed back to a memory of her grandmother, instructing her to serve tea.

_"People will always say silly, innapropriate things. The important thing is for you to handle it well." the small girl nodded seriously, and tucked a strand of her brown hair behind one ear._

_"Just be polite, Rory." in the background, Lorelai rolled her eyes. Rory poured tea._

"Thank you for telling me this." Rory told the principal respectfully. Her eyes filled with unshed tears. "If you don't mind me asking, what am I supposed to do now?" her voice broke, but she maintained her composure.

"Well, your father is on the way. Luckily he was in San Fransco on business, and so he can...help...you now." He can deal with you now. The words were tacit, though biting. Rory ignored the unspoken meaning and nodded again.

She stood up from her chair and wordlessly left the office. Slowly she walked through the halls of her school, arriving at the steps of the entrance and stopping. She might have waited seconds, or minutes, of hours. SHe would never know. She would never remember. What she would remember was the arrival of a sleek black limmo, and the man who stepped out. The man she had barely seen all her life. Christopher Hayden.

As she walked to the car, one last thought echoed in her head.

_I never told Jess about Matt._..

* * *

**Do you hate me?**

**Then go read L/L fic, there certainly is enough.**

**I'm not quite sure how this will pan out, so any feedback would be great. Suggestions will be recieved with thanks and a grain of salt. So here it is, as promised, now that my SAT2s and Standford application is finished, the next fic.  
**

**Thoughts?  
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	2. The red shirt

**Thank you:**

**Tikidoll, Bob, whyshouldIcare1, Love23, christine, shirleyytb, Katie, Adonica, tickle582, rockrose, potostfbeyeluvr, and evelyn.**

**You guys rock!**

He wore a black suite, black sunglasses, black frown. Rory approached the near stranger with some apprehension. She moved one hand to her face to dry her eyes, and found she already had. She must have waited outside longer than she'd thought. She stopped in front of her father, and he moved to let her into the limmo. Wordlessly, she slid into the back seat. When he joined her and the car began to move, he finally spoke.

"Hi, Rory," he said, removing his shades to reveal shockingly blue eyes. His voice was quiet, skittish even. His eyes darted all over her, scrutinizing the daughter he barely recodnized.

Rory barely remembered the last time she'd seen him. She was 7, and he had arrived bearing gifts. A rocking chair, and a stuffed horse. She remembered rocking in the chair, holding the horse. Admiring her new toys. Then there was yelling, she remembered that. Lots of yelling. her mother was mad at her father for some reason. She picked up the keys from the table in the hall and threw them at him, and he'd left. Rory then remembered her mother had come and hugged her, and cried.

At this thought Rory blinked back her own grief. For some reason Lorelai had hated this man, and that was all the information Rory needed. She stared at him coldly.

"Hi." she allowed no friendliness to enter her voice. He shrank back a little. "What now?" she asked after a while. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Look, Rory, I just want you to know I loved your mother very much. It was just...an accident, that night, but I really did love her." Rory had no idea what he was talking about, her mother had always avoided talking about Christopher to her.

"One night?" she asked curiously, and his eyes widened in horror.

"You didn't know. Oh...she never told you." Rory said nothing. "She never told you...anything?" still nothing. His face fell, somehow leaving him to look even weaker than he already did.

"I proposed to you mother, Rory, but she turned me down. Always, turned me down. One night I came to visit and showed her how I had changed, I was sturdy. You know? Reliable. I had struck gold in the stock market, and I had a steady income, and I'd stopped drinking. Sold the motorcycle. It had been a long time. I told her I just wanted to get to know you guys better. She even agreed, and after a couple nights of this we...kissed." he smiled sadly at the memory. "She told me not to push my luck. We started hanging out more often, but one night I asked her again, and she said she wasn't ready. Not safe enough at her new job. Needed more time to acclimate herself, you know?"

"Okay." Rory said. She didn't know why he was telling her this.

"I took it wrong...I left and got really drunk, and met a girl. Things went further than I'd intended, and afterwards I felt so guilty. I just, left. Didn't come back for 6 months. When I did, it turns out she already knew I'd been...unfaithful..." he chewed out the word, "apparently the cat lady knows everything, and told her. She threw me out. I haven't seen her since."

"Babbette," Rory said softly. her father looked at her imploringly.

"Try to understand, Rory, it wasn't my fault. Things just got out of control. None of this was my idea, you know? I wanted to be your father, be there, but I couldn't, you know?"

Rory threw him a withering glare. "Yeah, I can see how cheating on my mother would stop you from seeing me. Totally understandable." she said sarcastically. He shrank back even further away from her. "What now?" she asked him again.

"Rory I...I can't deal with this. I can't do this. I have done nothing but try not to think about Lorelai, I can't...I'm sending you to a good school. A great school. Remember you wanted to get into Stanford?" Harvard. She said nothing. "This can help you get there. Chilton is a...uh...over night school. Like an early college. It's sort of near here, in a valley in the southern Rockys. Nice location, good...school..." he floundered.

"You're sending me away." it wasn't a question, but he answered it.

"We're on our way to the airport right now." her eyes widened.

"No! I've gotta go see mom." she protested.

"Rory..." she remained stonefaced. He looked away. "Please don't make me go there." he begged. What a sad, pathetic man. Maybe if he wasn't so horrible, Rory might pity him. Too bad he was. She pushed a button and the window to the front of the limmo slid open.

"Please take us to the San Fransisco hospital," she said, and then closed the barrier again. Her father sighed.

-

Rory was wearing red. She had chosen her favorite burgandy polo that morning, though now she regretted it. She really should be wearing white. Everything here was white. The walls of the hospital seemed to frown at her as she entered the waiting area. White tiles, white walls, white uniforms. Red shirt. She couldn't help but feel out of place. She walked up to the desk and gave her name. The nurse behind the glass gave her a sympathetic look, and led her to a locked door.

Before opening it, she turned to Christopher, who lingered a foot or so behind Rory.

"Are you related to Mrs. Gilmore?" she asked, and he blinked.

"Well...no." he said, and she shook her head at him.

"Then I'm afraid you can't see her." she waited until he turned back in the direction of the waiting room, and then opened the door for Rory.

-

The figure on the bed couldn't have been Lorelai. The figure on the was was absolutely still. Watching the figures chest, watching it not move up and down with breath, made Rory feel short of air. She pulled a chair up to the side of the cot.

"Hi mom," she whispered. The figure said nothing, so Rory continued. "I uh, met dad, he seems really...unsure of himself. I'm glad you didn't marry him. You deserve better. You...deserved better." she corrected herself. She took the figure's hand. It was cold.

"What am I supposed to do without you, mom?" she asked into the silence. She wasn't crying, and wondered why. Actually seeing her mom, she felt a little numb to the whole situation. She continued to speak. "I can't not have you with me. Look, I'm already an ass without you. All I'm talking about is myself. God, look at you. You're _dead_, and I'm thinking about myself." Dead. The word didn't feel right on her tongue, and she decided not to say it again. She rubbed the cold hand, and looked at the figure's face. It was as white as the walls of the hospital, and it's lips had a faint blue tinge to them.

Rory sat there for a minute or so before Christopher opened the door. She didn't look at him.

"Rory, we have to go. You have a plane to catch." he said. She stood up reluctantly. She wished she had flowers or something to leave, but she didn't. Instead, she left her half full cup of coffee on the table beside the bed. It was fitting, she supposed.

"How did you get in here?" she asked Christopher, still not gracing him with a glance.

"I explained that I was your father." he said.

"Oh," she picked up her bag and moved toward the door, "You lied."

-

She sat in silence for the car ride to the airport. Christopher tried every now and then to make conversation, but she wouldn't respond. Finally the limmo pulled up to the airport.

"I got you a private plane, it will take you right to the school. All of your things have already been packed and sent there."

"I hate that you have blue eyes." Rory said, catching him offguard.

"Sorry, what?"

"I hate that you have blue eyes. Now I'll never know if I got your's or mom's."

"Bye, Rory," he said sadly, but Rory had no sympathy for him. She got out of the car with her back pack. He opened the door on his side and made as if to join her, but she turned to him.

"I'll find it." she said. He paused a moment, then finally nodded. She turned on her heel and left, off to find her private plane. Off to her new school, her new prison. It occured to her that she didn't have to get on the place, she could go anywhere she wanted. But she had no where else to go. She looked around at the people in the airport. They all hustled to reach their destination, their plane, their family. She was the only person as far as she could see who was standing still.

She went to find her plane.

* * *

**I decided Gigi wasn't relevant to the story. Realistically (as much as this story can possibly be), Chris wouldn't tell Rory about his family, and Rory wouldn't want to hear it.  
**  
**I promise this is a Trory. Next chapter you can meet him, okay?**

**I felt this chapter was needed, though an absolute downer. Yeah, yeah. Next chapter we'll meet new people, new places, it will be a party. Promise, no angst next chapter. Maybe the one after that. A little.**

**Jess will come back later, for all the people who liked that idea.**

**Oh, but I need a suggestion for next chapter. Room mate: Lane or Paris? I can't decide, though I'm surrently leaning towards Lane. I think this story needs some Lane.**

**All in all I'm feeling good about this thing.**

**Please review! **


	3. Friends isnt the word I would use

Rory slept through the majority of the plane ride, trying to catch up with the tumultuous events of the past day.

Was it really only a day? It felt like a millenium since she had slept, or since she had seen her mother. She found herself calmer than she should have been in the situation, and blamed it on denial. It was either that or that she had no soul, so she went with the first choice. Rory glanced at the window and saw that she sky was dark now. She couldn't see much, so she turned her attention back to the private jet's interior. It was everything she had expected a private jet to be, and more. It was laveishly decorated, with luch fabrics and a minibar. It even had a little TV, on which she was watching reruns of the nany. Nothing else would reach the plane, and she didn't feel like expending the energy it would take to select one of the plane's numerous DVDs.

So there she was, sitting several thousand fet up in the air, watching TV, and sitting on a velvet cushion. And she felt fake. None of this was hers, none of this was real. She looked around for something familiar to tie her back down to reality, to the life she had once known. Nothing helped. Everywhere she looked, fake. The curtains were fake, the carpeted floor was fake, the butler standing in front of her was fake.

"Miss," he said. She looked up. "Please put your seatbelt back on, we will be landing shortly." She moved to the window and put on the restraining belt. She tried again to look outside, but could barely make out the landscape beneath her. She cupped her hands around her eyes, and put her face right up against the window. Peering out, she began to see her future school from closer up.

It had a landing pad.

-

Technically it was winter. That was the problem. Rory couldn't feel the cold where she was, but it was winter. The sun set earlier in the winter. This is why she thought it was a far later hour than it actually was. Rory met the entire school populace in the span of 15 minutes, becuase of this unfortunate fact. She left the docking area carrying nothing but her backpack, walking slowly and taking in the scenery.

Forget school, this place was a city in itself. To reach the actual school she had to navigate a series of roads, all lined with restaurants, libraries, and vendors of different sorts. She finally reached an open space, determining it to be between the dorms and the main school. She nodded once to herself in determination, and turned to the larger building. Just then, she heard a bell ring. The doors of the School burst open, and a sea of students poured out from within. Rory stood a moment in surprise, then made her wayw to the double doors.

Suddenly she felt as if she were trapped in a brittany spears music video. Everyone was garbed in uniform, with only very slight variations to each outfit. Rory walked slowly through the throng of bodies at first, though it got easier as she walked. Students noticed her and paused to stare at this outlandish girl. Rory felt even further out of place than she had at the hospital.

Girls wore their hair in a ponytail, Rory's was down. She ran her fingers through it uncertainly as she walked. Everyone donned the same brown loafers, Rory wore orange converse. She felt scolded my the students eyes, and walked a little faster. The closer she got to the doors the more densly packed were the students leaving their classes. Eventually it became that the uniformed masses moved out of her way to watch her pass by, and soon they were clearing a small path in her wake.

Rory walked until she feared she would never reach the main office, but things imporved. Gradually the students left the building, and once it was empty she found it easier to find her way. The office was no different from any of the other doors in the building. Mahogany, polished, with a plain brass latch. There as no window in it, she she took a deep breath before actually entering and seeing it for the first time.

"Hello, Ms. Gilmore. I was wondering if you were planning on coming at all." a balding mad greeted her, tapping his foot and glaring at the clock above the door befind her.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Some of us have places to be." he continued, then changed tones. "Anyway, to business. Here is your key, do not lose it. It opens the doorto your dormroom. By the way, you are in room 329 west. Third floor. Here's a map. Oh, and your schedule. I trust you will be alright to find it?" Rory nodded. "Good. You will recieve your ID as soon as possible. The luggage arrived before you did, and I took the liberty of having it escorted to your room."

"Thank you," Rory said, after a long, pointed silence. "Sorry, you are...?"

"Headmaster Charlston. You may call me Headmaster. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have an expulsion to deliver." With that he left her, to find her new home.

-

She found it with very little difficulty. Hers was a corner room, and when she entered she was not dissapointed with her accomodations. The room was more like three of four, though the first one she entered was the bedroom. There were two beds, one closer to the wall and once closer to a floor to cieling window on the far side. On the closer bed sat a girl, reading a heavy looking book. Rory walked over to the other bed and set down her backpack.

"Those arent allowed." The girl said to her, not looking up from her book.

"Sorry, what?"

"The bag. It's not allowed. Standardized messanger is in your closet. Shh." Rory looked in the large wooden armoire across from her bed, and found the girl had been correct. There were also several uniforms there for her.

"Are these the right size?" she asked.

"A maid came in earlier and checked the sized on all of your clothes. Yes. They're right. Shh." she continued reading, tucking a strand of blond hair behind one ear.

"Hi, I'm Rory." she introduced herself, walking up the the girl. Her new room mate let out a breath of frustration, and slammed her book shut.

"Paris. I gave you the bed near the window."

"Um...thank you,"

"Don't. I don't like being woken up by the sun. Grand tour: this, the bathroom, the room with the TV. Do you need anything else!" Rory shook her head mutely. "Well then. If you don't mind." Paris opened her book again. Rory looked around the room once more, but it seemed there was nothing left for her to do.

Lacking distraction, her fatigue finally caught up with her. She mumbled something to her roommate and closed her eyes, falling immediately into a thankfully dreamless sleep.

-

Not many students wanted to talk to the new girl. She was a natural outcast, and prefered to keep it that way. Rory wasn't quite sure she was ready to settle for this life, one without...the people she used to know.

She buried herself in schoolwork, which admittedly wasn't difficult. Chilton's workload was far heavier than that of San Fransisco High, and she was joining late. She had 4 months of missed work to make up. Here even astronomy was a new subject to her, with her teachers finally delving into the subject deep enough to pass what knowledge she already possesed.

She could often be seen walking swiftly from class to class, and was easily found in the library during the 30 minutes between each class. She had already selected a favorite among the numerous libraries in the area.

The area. The school campus itself was more like a small city. There were restaurants and things to do, museums and theaters. The best part was that all of these commodities were free. Apparently the cost of the school was so high, it included an admirable set of extras.

Rory had been a student at the school for almost a week now. Today she followed her regular schedule. In between classes: coffee, library. More classes. She was currently struggling to balance a pile of books and a large cup in her arms, and was admittedly failing.

She stumbled down the road, and just when she thought she had the catch of things, she slammed into something. Well, actually, someone. Somehow, she held on to her coffee--didn't spill a drop. She and her burdon, however, were sprawled out on the ground, on top of the figure she had just ran into.

"Enjoying the feeling? Because personally I'd rather breath," a drawling voice came from beneath her. Rory tore her eyes away from the successfully full cup in her hand to the victim of her clumsiness, and almost gasped out loud. The eyes she met were a startling shade of blue, and were currently glaring at her.

They changed, though. After their eyes actually met, something in his changed. They got darker, smokier, for lack of better word. They got more intense, and suddenly Rory found she could not look away. She lifted herself off of him, not breaking eye contact.

"Sorry" she murmered, still transfixed by his gaze.

"So," the lips beneath those eyes moved with his words. "I finally meet the famous new girl."

"Disappointed?" Rory asked. His eyes began to move downward, looking her over inch by inch. Rory, however, was having none of that. Just because she'd shared a moment with him didn't mean she was going to let some audacious guy ogle her like a piece of meat. She moved her textbook in front of her chest before his eyes had the chance to reach there.

"Now I am," he said humorously. She leaned over to pick up the last of her books, and came up with one short. She stood and saw the guy she had bumped into, holding it in his hands, tapping the spine with one long finger.

"Thank you,"

"Oh, this? This is mine. Finders keepers," he said. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Look, I don't have time for this. What will it take to get my book back?"

"Discussing the when and where of this deal already? Alright then. All you need to do is tell me you name, and--"

"You already know my name, I'm sure." Rory retorted. The guy smirked.

"Yes, but I want to hear you talk dirty." She ignored the innuendo, and he held the book aloft.

"And then You'll give me my book?" He grinned slyly.

"Well sure, but I must have forgot to mention that the 'where' happens in my dormroom..." Rory couldn't help it. She didn't want to blush, but all of the sudden she felt her cheeks heat up. The guys around her gorgeous bully tittered.

"Well well well then, I think I do already know your name." he adressed the guys behind him, but never took his eyes away from her. "What do you think guys, I think she's a Mary." They laughed harder. Rory didn't know exactly what was being said, but she wasn't going to stick around and hear it. She was a senior. She was strong. She had certainly been through more hardship than any of these jerks, and she knew it. Suddenly she found herself consumed with anger, probably more than was appropriate. She didn't care.

Her eyes narrowed, and she promptly stuck a foot out and slammed it onto that of the guy in front of her. He lowered his hand in shock, just enough for her to grab the small book from his hand.

"Hey!" he let out in pain. She hadn't held back at all. He just had all 115 pounds of Rory slammed on his foot.

Instead of saying anything, she took her book and walked--she was holding too much to run--to the library. She wasn't followed. However, she turned once before rounding the corner, and saw the guys laughing and looking at her. The blond one waved.

"Bye, Mary!" he called.

* * *

**Wow. Kay so I'm sort of proud of this, and I also sort of hate it.**

**Yes, I know, I decided on Paris. In the end it just didn't make sense that Lane would be there. This is an AU, but I want it to have it's own sort of reality, instead of something that wouldn't make sense under any conditions. Does that make sense?**

**Anyway, I gave you guys the first meeting with Tristan, so, yeah. I hope I got the right mix of cocky and mysterious, with a touch of interested here and there. Hmm. Anyway.**

**Suggestions? This is the part of the story that can be messed with a little, whereas the beggining and end are sort of set in stone as to what should happen.**

**Oh? You do have suggestions/ideas/critisisms/praise?**

**Do tell. **


	4. Finally, decent coffee

"Bye Mary!" he called, laughing despite the dull ache still present in his foot. His friends all laughed. He turned back to them and the topic of conversation moved back to before he'd been mauled by the new girl.

"You guys," Logan said in a worried voice, "I really think she has it in for me. This is the second time she's flunked me on a test--"

"A teacher doesn't flunk you on a test, idiot. You either get answers right or wrong." Colin cut in. Tristan smirked.

"There are ways around that." he suggested.

"I would, I would, but this lady's like 97. I don't think she would survive another Alenson heiste." Logan fretted. There was a short pause as the gang thought back on a fond memory.

"I guess I'll have to start, like, doing work." Logan concluded gloomily.

"Yeah. And I'll dovelop terminal monogomy." Tristan japed, and the group laughed a little. When th enoise died down a little, one voice alone continued laughing. Marty patted Tristan on the back in comradery. Tristan stepped back a little, unconsiously brushing off dust from the shoulder Marty had touched. Marty's smile faded.

"So what are we doing tonight, guys? Last night I guess everyone had to do their homework, you know, last minute tests..." Tristan and his friends exchanged guilty looks. They had gone out, of course, but somehow had neglected to tell Marty. Somehow.

"I have to go study something...I mean...class..." Logan said, with all the subtlety of a punch in the mouth. He smiled sheepishly, mouthing an apology to the friend he was trapping with this creepy student.

"I just don't want to be here." Colin said bluntly. He pounded Tristan's fist and promptly ignored Marty's outreached hand, choosing instead to simply walk away. The rest of the group dissapated just as quickly, leaving Tristan to deal with the nonstop chatter of a boy with no friends.

-

Rory was having a very bad day. First that horrendous exchange with that guy, and now this.

"Paris, I'm just reading. There is no possible way I could be interfering with your studying."

"You're breathing louder than a dying athsmatic." Paris deadpanned.

"Paris! I am not!"

"Was you father a vacuum cleaner, by any chance?"

"Don't talk about my father." her voice grew suddenly quiet. There was a long pause as Paris reevaluated her roommate.

"Wait...do you hear that?" She cocked her head to the side.

"No..." Rory answered after a moment.

"MAYBE THAT'S BECUASE YOUR FREAK RESPIRATORY PATTERNS ARE BLARING OVER IT!" she half shouted. Rory rolled her eyes and looked away, and was hit in the head with a soft fluffy object.

"You threw a pillow at me!" she asked incredulously. Paris shrugged. "Real mature, Paris. Real mature."

"Sorry, I would think up a witty comeback to that _withering_ statement, but I can't hear myself think." her voice dripped with sarcasm. Rory gave up.

"Fine. I'm going for a walk." she grabbed her jacket and stormed out of the room, snatching up her key.

She walked around the school halls for a short time, still not used to her surroundings. She was un such a new...life. Not just a new surrounding, bot just new friends, but new life. Everything was so different, Rory found she wasn't even acting the same way she used to. She felt colder, less friendly. She didn't like it.

Repression was something she had of course learned about in her psychology class, but she had never thought it would change her entire personality. She knew she was refusing to think about her mother, but she was okay with that, at least at the moment. She wasn't ready yet, not acclimated to where she was. Not safe enough to open up.

Once she became bored with the stone and marble walls of Chilton, she moved outside. The sun had just reached the horizon, rendering the whole world golden. This was her favorite time of day, it was so beautiful. She walked silently through the streets, glancing at restaurants and buildings she had never given a second glance.

One building was so charming she even went inside. It was a small diner, nestled between two larger buildings. Quant, with a smight fifties vibe. She sat down at the bar, gingerly smoothing her skirt underneath her and settling on the vynil seat. A man came out from the back, rubbing his hands on a small dish towel. He wore...plaid. Trucker hat, blue jeans, surly expression, and...plaid.

"What do you want?" he asked brusquely.

"Um...?"

"To eat. What do you want to eat?" Rory snapped to attention.

"Coffee, please,"

"Now? It's almost dark out."

"Yeah, mid evening fix," she smiled, taking the offered cup.

"Young people today." he grunted disgustedly. "You all drink that aweful stuff, and you kids here are even worse."

"Oh, I'm new here." she defended herself, ignoring the coffee comment. The man grunted. Rory wasn't sure if this meant he cared or not, but she continued anyway. She longed for conversation right now."

"From San Fransisco." His ears pricked up slightly.

"Yeah? I have a nephew there. Good kid, sort of." he leaned against a counter behind him. Rory sipped her drink.

"Mmm, this is fantastic." she said in amazement. Sorry, please continue." The man didn't smile, exactly, but the corners of his mouth definitely curled a little.

"Jess. He's uh...he marches to his own beat."

"Jess who? I know a Jess."

"Mariano." Rory almost spit out her coffee. Almost.

"Jess is like, my best friend in the world!" The man extended his hand.

"Luke." he said.

"Rory." she responded. He knew Jess! Just hearing his name was like breathing fresh air for the first time in weeks. She couldn't suppress the smile which had conquered her face.

"Hi. Well...uh...he visits sometimes, during vacations and things like that. I'll write to him and let him know you're here."

"Thank you! There's no cell phone service here. Really, no service at all, and the computers restrict emails that leave this place." This fact had been a matter of much consternation to Rory, but now seemed to be of very little importance. She glanced down at her watch.

"I...should go, but it was great to meet you, Luke," she smiled. He nodded his head. When nothing else came, she took that as goodbye, and made her way out of the diner. On the way back, she was careful to remember the location of the diner. The coffee had just topped her list, and she had a new place to stop each morning. She went back to her room with a grin on her lips.

-

"Honestly, I don't know why you put up with it." Colin said in an exasperated voice. He and Logan were waiting in the dorm room Tristan shared with Logan. Tristan shrugged.

"He's just so...pathetic." he rationalized to his friends. He couldn't tell them that he lacked the heart to actually tell Marty off. He had approached the popular guys on his first day at Chilton, 2 years ago. Being the head of the group, it was left to Tristan to decide whether or not this newcomer was worthy of their attention.

Tristan was never able to do it, to insult this particular social tragedy. Sure, he was annoying, but there was something so earnest about Marty, that Tristan found himself pitying the guy.

"I don't really know why you don't get rid of him either," Logan admitted. Colin snorted.

"You mean why he's being such a woman?" Yeah, Colin was a little bit of a jerk. "You should send him out on his ass, Tristan. What's the matter with you? Live up to your rep, man," Tristan sighed and shook his head.

"Okay, new topic." Logan said, sensing the need. He was Tristan's best friend, and understood that sometimes there was more to him than his reputation. "About this new Mary." he grinned.

"Ahh, yes, you have given her a name. Everyone know what that means." Tristan smirked and nodded.

"This will be easy," he said. It was easier to be cocky about something that wasn't personal. Marty? Personal. Mary? Not so much. He thought back to the morning, smiling a little. This would not only be easy, but this would be fun. There hadn't been anyone new at Chilton for quite a while.

-

Upon Rory's entrance to the dorm room, she was greeted by a sight which astonished her to no end.

Paris. Crying.

"Go away, Gilmore," she said into her pillow. She was curled up in her bed, clutching a small bear in her hands.

"Paris, what's wrong?" Rory asked, ignoring Paris's order. She sat down on her own bed, facing the weeping girl.

"I'm sure you just love this, don't you? Paris Gellar, crying and holding a stuffed animal, blubbering like a baby. I'm sure you're just _loving_ this."

"Don't be rediculous." Rory admonished. "What's wrong?"

"His name was Ch-Charlie," Paris hiccuped. "He...was visiting his cousin for a couple weeks, and we talked." she blushed. "More than talked. the other night I stayed in his room."

"Oh..." Rory said under her breath. That would explain the girl's absense that night. Rory had assumed she'd fallen asleep in the library.

"By the end of his stay said he loved me, that he was goingto speak with his parents about attending Chilton himself." she laughed a little, a sad, sarcastic little laugh. "Last night, after you left, I couldn't focus. It was the night he'd left.I went out, after you'd gone, and went to the plane dock. He...was there..." she sniffled a little. "With his girlfriend." Rory's mouth fell open.

"Are yousure that's what she was? She could have been his sister or something,"

"How often does a brother try to clean his sister's tonsils with his tongue?" Paris asked tartly. "And no greek god jokes." Rory supressed a smiled. Only Paris could say something like that at a time like this.

"He doesn't know I was there. I didn't want to talk to him." There was a long silence.

"Paris." Rory said after a moment, "I have known you what, a week or two? I would like to think of us as friends." She tried to overlook the glare Paris shot her, the 'are you kidding?' conveyed in her watery eyes.

"In all the time I have known you, this isn't what I would expect. Paris Geller, beaten by some asshole with no boundries?"

"Well, not exactly beaten..."

"Defeated?" Paris stared at her.

"You're better than this. I'll bet his girlfriend is absolutely dumb as a doorknob."

"She did look ditzy," Paris agreed, wiping her eyes.

"Exactly. You're lucky you're not stuck with him, if he would choose someone like that. He doesn't deserve you."

Paris nodded.

"You're going to do great things someday. And he--"

"--Will live with his girlfriend, in his trailer park, chugging beers and wishing he went to college." Paris finished, with a fierce fire in her eyes. Not exactly the words Rory would ahve chosen, but they seemed to do the trick.

"Good night, Paris." she said, and slipped into the bathroom to change into her pjs. She slid into bed and turned off the light.

"Thanks, Gilmore," Paris said, and Rory smiled. Maybe living with Paris wasn't so bad. She closed her eyes.

"Oh, and Rory?" Paris added, "tell anyone about he bear and you'll wish you'd never even heard of Chilton."

Rory smiled.

Sleep came almost instantly.

* * *

**Merry Christmas, here's a chapter!**

**Tristan's POV for a while, blah blah, blah.**

**Luke's here, but he won't be that prominent a character, just a way for Jess to reenter the story. Unless I change my mind. Kay. So this is a filler chapter really, but certain things needed to be emplained, Tristan needed a soul, Paris and Rory needed to connect somehow. I think I got a lot done.**

**In this story Marty is totally different, by the way. When I first saw him on the show he seemed nice enough, and it's my personal hypothesis that Rory will end up with the 'nice guy' eventually, but he also struck me as a little bit pathetic. I decided to emphasize this for the sake of the story, and, yeah.**

**Don't worry, Logan wont go anywher enear Rory. I hate Rogans, and there is nooo way I'm planning on writing one.**

**Please review!**

**I need Christmas lovin' too! **


	5. Life as we know it

Still no word about Jess. Rory went every morning to Lukes, and asked about her friend along with her usual order of coffee. Yet every morning, she would leave the diner with no more information than she had entered with. Just the unintelligable grunts and mumbled words of a man who had no answer. She didn't mind that much, though. Though it wasn't the sameas Jess, Rory had new friends.

Several weeks had passed since Rory's friendship with Paris had began. The girl was difficult to deal with, to say the least. She was boorish, outspoken, and often rude, but it was worth it. She was the one person at Chilton Rory knew she could trust no matter what. She had other friends, of course, but it just wasn't the same. Paris had also convinced her to join the newspaper, something she hadn't even been aware of. The entire idea of the newspaper was a little silly, but Rory ignored that.

It only reached the people in the little valley of Chilton, which was small enough that everyone already knew everyone's business. Never one to raise the dread existentialist dillema though, Rory joined the paper. It was a great distraction, and at the same time, easy work.

She had gotten used to the rigorous schedule at Chilton, and had even caught up with her work. Now nothing filled her days but the comfortable mind numbing repetiion that was a school schedule. It was good, letting her mind relax after the ordeal it had been through. After that one day that changed everything. Rory didn't really think about what had happened, she didn't let herself.

Repression fan number one, she hadn't even told people the reason for her arrival at the institution. When they asked she would mention her father, and how there was not enough rom in his life for her. Most of the students left it at that. Some of them had even experienced this bitter reality. Rory did her best not to think about that fateful day. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

After this morning coffee trip, Rory would scamper off to her first class, today included. Luke hadn't found any information today either, but he had given her a large latte, so she forgave him. Now she sat at her desk, awaiting the begining of class. It was actually quite peaceful. The air was warm, and the sunlight defied venetian blinds and landed lightly on the wooden surface in front of her. The room was fairly quiet. Students filtered in but made very little chatter, which was unusual, but nice.

"Morning, Mary." a shadow fell over her. Tristan DuGrey sat down next to her, as he did every morning. The seating arrangement was hardly coincidental. The day after they had met, he discovered that they shared a Political Theory class. Rory sat fairly close to the middle of the classroom's depth, and off to the side. Near the window. The chairs around her were all filled, but of course, this didn't matter to her tormentor in the slightest. He had simply walked right up to the seaat on her right, and waited. It had been only a moment before the boy occupying the chair had moved, allowing Tristan to have the seat permanently.

"Rory." she said, as she had countless times already. She knew he wasn't stupid, he knew her name. Still, she was stubborn. As long as he insisted on calling her by that rediculous title, she would correct him.

"And how are you and this fine and lovely morning?" he asked urbanely. He wanted to be polite? Fine.

"Quite well and thank you for asking. I had a lovely night's sleep and I'm feeling rather up to the day." she said, taking on his high society mannerism in response. She tried to pretend she wasn't helplessly lost in those blue eyes, the eyes which had plagued her since their first meeting. They seemed so much more instense than any other eyes, and absolutely focused on her. Every time he approached her, he would aim those eyes at her, and she would suddenly be fighting not to smile. She hated his power over her. She hated that one glance from him could send a slow flush creeping up her face. Right now those deep pools of light took on a devlish glint, and a smirk found it's way to the lips beneath them.

"Oh? Who's the lucky guy?" he asked impudently. Okay, nice moment over. Rory hid her blush with a dark scowl. She turned to the front of the room and fixed her eyes on the board.

"Actually I'm rather hurt, I must admit. I thought you were saving yourself for me..." Rory rolled her eyes and refused to look at him.

"Dream on, Tristan." she said through clenched teeth.

"Okay, I'm sorry, look. I need a big favor from you." he said. She turnd to him incredulously. He couldn't possibly be serious. Yet he seemed to be. No smirk, no innuendo about what sort of favor it was. Just those pleading eyes.

"I was looking for a tutor in English." he said, and she scoffed.

"Since when do you care about your grades? I've heard your reputation. Evreyone has."

"Do you always believe what people tell you?" he asked, and she had no answer. She struggled a moment for words, and his smirk brought them forth.

"Why would I ever want to help you?"

"Because I am woefully behind, and you're too good to let me slip through the cracks." he said. She peered at him, sure he was kidding now. But no, his face remained absolutely serious.

"For get it." she said, hiding her blush with a frown. She turned to the front of the room once again, just in time for the proffessor to enter and begin the lesson..

"Now, as we discussed on Monday; the Depression caused the downfall of many different..."

Rory sat in the sunlight, letting herself absorb the information being given by her teacher. Suddenly she felt her right hand gently lifted from her desk. A small folded paper was pressed into her palm, and the warm fingers closed her own. She looked over, but Tristan was looking away from her, apparently watching the board. She unfolded the note.

_Aw, come on Mary_

_Just one night of_

_Tutoring._

_It might surprise you._

Rory turned the paper over and scrawled a short response.

_My name is Rory._

She tossed the note onto his desk, and told herself she didn't enjoy the grin that slid onto his face when he read it. She forced herself to look away, scolding herself. How could she be harboring friendly feeling for this guy? He was a monster. She knew he was a monster. She hated him. So why didn't she hate him?

He took her hand once more and gave her the note, not seeming to care about the professor anymore.

_Aw, come on Rory_

_Just one night of_

_Tutoring._

_It might surprise you._

She supressed her smile of victory, having finally forced him to use her real name. She turned to him, and mouthed the word 'fine.' This was going to be hard.

-

After class ended he lingered by her desk.

"Okay, how does tomorrow night sound?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"Fine, I guess. Where should we meet?" she asked, trying her best to look bored.

"I know where your room is, don't worry about it." What?

"Uh..."

"Pick you up at seven, Mary." What had just happened there! Lacking anything else to do, Rory made her escape. She didn't say anything, just left the room.

-

Tristna smiled. That went well. Marty walked up to him, and slapped his back in comraderie. Tristan sighed inwardly.

"Hi, Marty."

"So, I see you've met my girlfriend." Tristan's smile faded.

"What?"

* * *

**Yeah, I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter. Is it shorter? It feels shorter, anyway.**

**More to come soon, though.**

**Please R&R! **


	6. Date with a Night

**Aww, thanks guys. The reviews were great.**

**Except that one. Please, if you think my writing sucks, offer suggestions. Don't just be a nuisance.**

**Okay, here goes:

* * *

**"My girlfriend. I asked her out, asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes, that she would be my girlfriend, and therefore, she is my girlfriend." Marty explained. Tristan was floored.

"Wh...When did this happen?" he asked. would Rory do that? She hadn't known anyone for that long, and seemed the type of girl to wait before dating a guy.

"Yesterday," he announced happily, "I met her coming out of a coffeeshop, and, we talked for a while, and things happened." he said, his grin spreading from ear to ear.

"Jeez, Marty, that's uh, great. Look I'll talk to you later." he said, and rushed from the room.

-

"She what?" Logan exclaimed. "Dude, this never happens to you."

"I know...I mean...I never saw it coming." Tristan said again, falling backwards onto his bed. The group had congregated once again in his and Logan's room, now discussing Marty's interference.

"What exactly did he say?" Logan asked again.

"He just beat the record for most times 'girlfriend' had ever been used in a sentance."

"Who cares?" Colin cut in, speaking around a mouthful of chinese take out. "Boyfriends have never goten in your way. Just ignore him." Normally, he would be right. Tristan had never found a problem going around another guy. After all, if the girl went along with it, and she always did, then she never really liked him anyway. Darwin and such. But Marty was another story. Tristan _knew_ Marty. This was probably his first girlfriend, and he wasn't sure he could take that away from his pityfriend.

"How could this happen?" Logan repeated for the umpteenth time. He had been even more shocked than Tristan had, and was still putting his mind around the news.

"He's probably lying anyway, skeezy bastard." Colin said, but Tristan shook his head.

"Guys, this is the guy who tells us when he's run out of ointment." They all winced at the memory.

"Are you still going out with her tonight?" Logan asked.

"I don't know. Yes. No. Maybe. Would you?" Tristan shrugged helplessly, torn between his own selfishness and how far he was willing to go for this guy. Was Marty worth it?

"Dude, just go." Colin finally ordered. "You don't have to do anything if you decide to become a girl and wuss out. Just...Study with her." he said, his words dripping with double meaning. Tristan nodded. He could still stall a while longer.

-

"With Tristan DuGrey? Oh, are you in for it." Madeleine said with a knowing smile.

"What? We're just studying." Rory defended herself, but it was no use. The girls flanking her only laughed.

"You'll see," purred Louise. The pair walked away, leaving Rory with a disgusted Paris.

"You know, they're all like that. Assuming the worst." she shook her head. "If you don't want to do anything with that idiot pervert, you wont. He's not magic or anything." Paris had never approved of Tristan, and made no effort to hide this fact. She never flirted or bantered with him, instead attacking his attempts with biting comments which actually seemed to scare him off. Rory could never admit to her friend that she was harboring a secret, unintentional crush on him. She could never deal with Paris' dissaproving gaze turned on her. She was her only real friend. After all, she was the only one who believed Rory could control herself around Tristan.

"Exactly," Rory agreed, not sure if she believed her own words. Even if she didn't believe in herself, her friend's faith was nice to have. "Hey Paris, have you ever been to Lukes?"

"No...but I'm assuming it's a coffee place. I'm not a big coffee drinker."

"Just wait. You can be my first converted." she said, and led the blond girl to her favorite dive.

"Hey Luke," she greeted the surly owner.

"Hi, Rory, one coffee?"

"Two. I brought a friend," she said, seting her bag down and taking a seat at the bar. Paris ventured a quick smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. She was currently looking around the dingy walls of the place, wondering how many diseases she was in risk of catching.

"A friend..." Luke muttered, then his face brightened. "A friend! Ror, I got in touch with Jess, and he's coming to visit next week, for one week. This is the longest he's ever stayed here."

Rory squealed, and Luke winced.

"Please, my eardrums can only take so much,"

"Who is this guy, anyway?" Paris interjected. Rory tried to explain.

-

7:00, exactly. 7:01. Was he trying to torture her? Rory paced back and forth in her room. She had been waiting longer than she'd like to admit. Her english books were sitting, ready for action. Her hair was brushed, shoes were on. She had applied a small amount of lipgloss before, then gotten angry at herself for putting it on, so she wiped it all off.

There was a knock on the door. Rory jumped, then smoothed her hair once more, took a deep breath, and opened it. Tristan stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall and biting his lip.

"Hey," Rory said in her best uncaring voice. "Where are we doing this?" it was out before she could stop herself, and she grimaced at the expected sexual innuendo. Surprisingly, none came. Instead, Tristan took her hand and led her through the near empty hallway.

"I want to show you my favorite place in this whole school." he said, covering his excitement in a hushed voice. Rory smiled, a small, puzzled smile. This was a completely different Tristan than she was used to dealing with. They walked through the marble halls for what seemed like forever. Rory quickly lost track of where she was, and the crowds around them soon thinned. Eventually they were walking alone, and after what seemed like ages, Tristan stopped.

"Um..." Rory ventured. Was he out of his mind?

"Here is is." he declared, throwing his arms wide.

"Tristan."

"What?" he turned to her with an innocent look on his face.

"This is a janitors closet."

"Ah, it _looks_ like a janitors closet. No one comes to this part of the school anymore. A couple years ago there was an accident becuase of one of these, but when they had all of them closed I covered the sign. It's the only one left."

"Tristan, what are you talking about?" Rory finally lost track of his train of thought. He really had misplaced his sanity.

"Trust me." he grinned. After a moment of pause he took out a key and opened the closet. Upon closer examination Rory saw it wasn't a closet at all, rather a dark stairwell. From the looks of it, it went up for quite a while.

"We're going...up there?" Rory asked with some apprehension. Tristan smirked at her.

"Scared, Mary?" No. She was not going to give him reason to revert back to his normal self, not when she was so interested by this other side of him.

"Never." she said, and started up the stairs. She heard the door close behind her, and soon heard Tristan's steps reach her own. The stairwell was now pitch black, and all she could do was continue onward. She tried to ignore the feel of Tristan's breath on the back of her neck, and the scent of his cologne, wafting up to reach her.

After what seemed like ages, she reached the door. Bumped into it, actually. It was all she could do not to fall backwards, and she reached for the handle.

"It's locked," she said, suddenly panicked. Why had he brought her up here, anyway? How could she be so stupid? She knew he wasn't trustworthy, she just knew it. She felt his hand reach by her side, and almost screamed. Then his had moved past her, and he reached over to unlock the door. Of course, he had a key. Rory was glad the dark hid her bright red blush.

Feeling more than a little silly, she stepped forward and puched the door open. When the latch clicked and she stepped out, she gasped. She was outside. The stars above her shone, and the night breeze tickled her skin.

"We're on the roof?" she said.

"Brilliant deduction there, Watson." he joked. He walked past her, and she followed. The roof was huge, covered with various chimineys and air vents. It looked like a futuristic playground. She kept her childish analogy to herself. He led her to a large brick chiminey, near the edge of the roof. They sat against it, taking in the majestic view. From here you could see for miles.

"It's beautiful," Rory said breathlessly. Tristan nodded next to her.

"Yeah, I used to come up here more often, but I never really have time anymore." he observed sadly. The pair sat in silence, watching the black horizon, and the lights still on in Chilton's little piece of the world.

"So Mary, how is Chilton treating you?" he asked after a while. He turned his head to her, still leaning against the bricks behind him.

"It's okay,"

"That's it? Do you miss anything?" Rory shrugged, not looking at him. When she saw he wasn't going to give up, she avoided the question.

"What are you doing?"

"Making conversation," Tristan ventured, taken aback by the sudden intensity in her voice.

"Do you have to make this one?" she asked. Her baby blue eyes were pleading, and he felt a pull within. He wanted to find out why she was so afraid of the topic, and he wanted to make everything all better.

"Would you rather discuss the insane amount of caffeine you put in your body?"

"Something like that." Rory laughed. Tristan let out a breath and grinned. He leaned his head forward, his nose almost touching that of the girl in front of him. Rory moved hers away slightly.

"Okay, studying. You're reading Julius Caesar right now..."

"No. My class is. I am not." he corrected with aplomb.

"You haven't even started?"

"I read it ages ago, I get it. Blah blah blah, good versus evil, blah blah blah, betrayal of a friend...blah blah blah, Brutus' final mistake, blah blah blah, I get it."

"You don't need help?" Rory asked angrily. He had lied to her.

"Not with English."

"Yeah? Then what do you want?" Tristan floundered. What did he want? He wasn't even sure himself. She seemed so perfect, every single part of her. Every flaw was flawless. He wanted her, but he wasn't sure if he could betray Marty.

"I don't know," he admitted, knowing she wouldn't understand the nature of his dillema. They sat in silence a while, Rory trying to figure out what he meant, figure out why she wasn't put off by him.

"Hey, what was the accident that got the roof entrances closed?" she asked suddenly.

"Someone jumped off." he stated nonchalantly, and she gave him a look. "Okay, so it wasn't so much of an accident. But you seem stable enough, I hope. Why, are you planning to jump off?"

"Not really," she conceded, and they went back to silence. Rory didn't know why she was there. He didn't need help, and she had resolved not to fall underneath his spell. She wasn't going to let herself be used by some guy for a night's pleasure, then cast away. She wasn't going to be a notch in the bedpost. She wondered idly if guys really did that, mark their bedpost. She briefly contemplated asking Tristan, then thought better of it. There was no tellnig where that conversation might end up.

A though came to her. What would her mother say if she knew her daughter was on the roof of a private school with the village payboy? She laughed softly even as her eyes watered at the thought. The air was cleansing, but she found herself reminising of her old life, the life on the beach, when her mother would run around with solid white sunscreen on her nose, asking random passerbyes if they had seen her umbrella, as she had lost it.

Rory blinked back her tears once again, remembering where she was.

"It's no wonder you're so popular with the girls, Tristan, this is the most excitement I've seen in a long time." she put out sarcastically, and he laughed.

"What, not James Bond enough for you?"

"Don't insult James Bond, he changed the world." Rory looked over at him, and saw he was already gazing at her. Suddenly she was trapped once again in his eyes, only it didn't seem like such a bad thing now.

"Okay, Mary, whatever." he leaned forward, and she did the same. Her lips were on his then, softly returning his kiss. Then things got out of control. Rory found herself the victim of an onslought of emotions. Her mom, her life, her new school, her father, it all seemed to add up and hit her like a blow. She pulled away, tears finally escaping her eyes.

"Wh--" Tristan barely managed to get that out before the crying girl grabbed her things and ran away. He stood just in time to see her slam the door to the stairs behind her, and sat alone on the roof again. What was that?

Did she feel that bad about cheating on her boyfriend? That would make her the first. Granted, this hadn't been the most successful date in the world, but he'd never recieved that reaction to a kiss. And why hadn't he been able to act normally around her? No one ever had this effect on him. He went from girl to girl, until they all blended together and their memories became one to him. Why was this any different?

Because she had a boyfriend, who she cared about, he told himself. He was disgusted with his own actions.

He let out a breath, seriously confused, and very guilty.

-

Rory ran through the halls, somehow finding her own room. She needed a place to hide. After a feverish seach of all her pockets, it was discovered that she had forgotten her key. She banged on the door a few times, but no one answered. She remembered Paris had said something about an evening study group for her Latin class. Rory gave up, falling back against the door and sliding down the polished mahogany exterior. She broke down, sobbing against the wall.

A shadow fell in front of her, and she looked up. Paris stood there with an armload of books and thankfully, a key.

"Come on, Gilmore," she said quietly, "we can call room service. You look like you need some serious chocolate mudslide." Rory gratefully followed her friend into the room.

* * *

**Yayyyy stuff happened!**

**Angsty, right? Kay then. Please give me thoughts, suggestions, and such things like that.**

**I lurve them.**

**The Marty thing will all fall into place, ah, it shall. I'm very excited for it, but I figured you guys needed some actual Trory time, so I went right into the study thing  
**

**And Jess! Ah, Jess. He'll get here eventually, I'm not sure how many chapters it will take to cover a week here.  
**

**The more reviews I get the faster I'll update. **


	7. Moping time

**You guys are amazing. Seriously. Fighting with my family, working through insane amounts of homework, and then I check my email, and there's like 7 reviews right there. You guys rock.

* * *

**Rory had barely slept that night. Upon entering the room, Paris had immediately called up enough ice cream that the pair of fiends knew they would regret it in the morning. She tried to get Rory to talk, but there were no words which could appropriately phrase her thoughts. There was so much to say, and yet she couldn't say any of it. Explaining it to someone would only give it reality. As long as she retained her silent countenance...

After an hour or so of helpless sobbing, she was ready to talk. Her friend had sat by her the entire time, not saying anything, just being there. That deserved at least some explanation. She had settled on explaining the situation with Tristan. Paris sat through her explanation, doing her best not to look too distasteful of her friend.

"You kissed him?" she asked finally, in as neutral a tone as she could manage.

"I...no. He kissed me. But I sort of..."

"Kissed him back." Paris finished. Rory nodded and took another spoonful of rocky road, the last spoonful of the container. Paris opened another. They sat quietly for a while, each wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"I dated him once." Paris suddenly confessed. Rory's mouth fell open in shock. "Yeah, I was one of his first attempted conquests, in seventh grade. I didn't _do_ anything, but he kissed me and then told people we'd done more. I haven't spoken to him since."

"I'm sorry," Rory whispered, feeling even more terrible about breaking her own policy and giving in to his charm.

"Don't. I didn't really care, and it's been years since then. For all I know he could be harboring secret tendancies of kindness." she snorted derisively. "Maybe."

Rory sighed, and wiped her face. They had been up for hours. This certainly wasn't the way she had imagined her first all nighter, but somehow she felt awake. After all the drama of the night before, logic predicted that she'd have collapsed of exhaustion by now.

"What do I do now? I'll see him first period," Rory fretted. Paris thought a moment, then smiled.

"Don't do anything. That's what he does to girls all the time, so do the same to him. Act like nothing happened." suddenly she was laughing. "Imagine the look on his face when he sees that he failed to break a heart. It'll just _kill_ him." Rory shook her head.

"I dont want to kill him. He didn't really do anything wrong. I just freaked out." Paris shrugged.

"Well, fine. Let him make the first move. He will, of course, he's Tristan. It's in his nature to be smarmy." Rory didn't say anything. She could never make Paris understand how different Tristan had been the night before. She shook her ghead again and took another spoonful of ice cream.  
-

First period was a solid hour of worrying and wondering. Tristan had entered the classroom as always, but had said nothing at all to Rory. She looked at him once and found him looking at her, his blue eyes sad, and questioning. He immediately looked away, however. After the class ended, Rory regretfully concluded that she had scared him off. No wonder, after the freak night before. She imagined he rarely obsessed over girls who cried after a kiss. She imagined he rarely obsessed over anyone.

The bell rang, startling her from her thoughts. Everyone cleared from the room, but Rory took her time to leave. She saw Tristan at the door, but he didn't say anything, so she turned back to potting things into her standardized leather bag.

"Hey," a voice came from right next to her. A boy with curly black hair stood next to her, and she graced him with a wan smile.

"You look, well, pretty miserable." he said, and was rewarded by her dry laugh. He had no idea. "You wanna grab some coffee, maybe chill in the library? We have 45 minutes until next period." he smiled hopefully, and Rory gave in.

"Coffee, sounds great." she walked with him out of the classroom. Once she exited she found Tristan leaning against the wall outside. She stood, awaiting some sort of action from him. None came. He just looked from her to her new companion, and said nothing. His eyes searched Rory's face, but she could think of nothing to say to him. What was she supposed to do, apologise?

Sorry I cried on that date you tricked me into, wanna try again?

Sorry I freaked out and ditched you on a roof, how about we go for dinner somewhere?

Everything which came to mind was immediately discarded as rediculous. Instead she just turned away, and went to go get coffee. The cure-all sounded especially nice right now. "I'm Marty, by the way," the boy next to her introduced himself. She reached to the side and shook his hand.

"Rory," she said.

-

This blew. There was no other description for it, really. It was no one's fault. Nobody made Rory come to Chilton, and shake the very foundations of Tristan's life. No one made her say yes to..._Marty_...No one made Tristan take her on the roof and--well, he supposed that might have been his doing. Probably not the greatest idea, he thought ruefully, kicking a stone with one foot.

He was pacing the streets of Chiltonville, as it was called, angsting about his failed date. She had looked so wan today, yet he couldn't bring himself to say anything to her. Not on his own, after what he had done, and not with Marty sitting two rows behind them. He kicked the stone again, and followed after it down the road.

Why couldn't he have controlled himself? Why couldn't he have set aside his selfishness and desire, and simply let his friend have a small piece of the world? This blew. He kicked the stone again. It rolled against the side of the road and into a gutter. Game over. Tristan looked around, randomly searching for a new place to saunter in. He found himself near a library, with tall windows and taller shelves within.

He walked closer to the window, idly peering in at the interior of the building. He rarely went into libraries. It would absolutely destroy his image if he was ever seen in one. Instead he made trips late at night, borrowing as many volumes as he could, and reading them in the privacy of his own room. He let his eyes travel the extent of that tall window, and then he saw it.

Them. He should have expected it. With the pile of books regulating her arms, it was no wonder Rory would enjoy frequenting a library. It was also no wonder she would bring her boyfriend there. Tristan scowled and strode away, disappointment sinking into the pit of his stomache. He had to give up already. Only a day had passed, and this girl was invading his every thought.

Why, _why_ couldn't he have just let things alone? He though again, until a much more puzzling thought entered his brain. She had kissed him back last night, had leaned into it just as much as he had. That was a mutual stolen kiss, and she was as much to blame as he. He shook his head and continued back to his dorm, more confused than ever.

-

Lunch with Marty was, nice enough, though rather lackluster. The conversation was often awkward, and every time Rory glance over, her new friend was staring at her. Things were peaceful, however, which was a refreshing change from the tumultuous happenings of the night before. The pair had nothing in common except that Marty loved and agreed with everything Rory said.

Consequentially, the conversation was rather one sided. That was hours ago, though. Now Rory lay on her bed, a book open in front of her. She couldn't read, though. very time she turned her gaze to the page, they would glaze over as her thoughts returned once again to Tristan.

Every time she tried to think about anything, he invaded her thoughts and consumed them. All she could see were his eyes, staring at her with heated intensity. All she could see was how heartbreakinlgy sad they looked in class that morning. The one thing she couldn't see was what to do next.

How was she supposed to right the wrongs of the other night? She didn't regret kissing him. Sure, it had gone against her strict resolve, but she most definitly wanted to repeat the action. She only regretted the way things had ended; the way she couldn't speak to him today. There was so much she had wanted to explain, yet at the same time she was unable to voice even a greeting.

Rory sighed, and closed her book. Clearly she wasn't going to sleep tonight either.

* * *

**I'm sorry, I know it's short, but I needed a filler chapter.**

**Definite Trory action next chapter, I swear!**

**Sooooo, yeah.**

**Jess probably wont enter the picture until the chapter after the next one, or possibly even the one after that.**

**Rest assured though, I have already started the number 8. **


	8. Fafafafinally

**Hey, I just realized something. For a while, for some odd reason, chapters one and two were switched. I just wanted to apologize to anyone who that confused, and I hope things are better now. **

**So last chapter was such complainy bullsht that I thought you guys deserved some fun...

* * *

**

This was insane, Rory thought to herself again. This time she was typing her research paper for project physics, and found herself thinking once again about Tristan. She tapped her pen against her chin and bit her lip, wishing she could bite his. She was shocked at herself for thinking such a though, it wasn't like her at all. But really, she was going nuts. It had been almost a week and a half, and Tristan was still ignoring her.

Well, no. That wasn't fair. He was definitely not ignoring her. More like he was purposefully not looking at her, even though he was. His eyes remained resolutely facing forward, yet were somehow always on her. His words were never directed at her, yet always seemed meant for her. It was insane. She was insane. This was insane, she thought again. It was this overriding thought which she had ultimately concluded, and now it resounded relentlessly in her mind, cutting off all possibility to valid thought.

Consequentially, the present data yielded by the This is insa--

Ugh. She'd done it again. Rory pounded the delete several times, wondering wryly if it would wear down to nothing by the end of the night. She tried once again to focus on her lab report, but her mind flitted almost instantly back to her blond friend. Were they still friends? Could one kiss their friend and then ignore them, and still be their friend? Were they ever even friends in the first place? Why was he acting so strange, when he clearly still wanted to interact with her? What if it was her imagination?

She used to think she knew. A day or so after that night on the roof, she thought she had things figured out. But what if she didn't? What if he wasn't holding himself back for some reason, but instead just didn't like her? Good God, what if she was such a bad kisser that she actually turned him away? She paused in her typing. No, that didn't sound right. If what she heard was true, Tristan DuGrey would have been upront and simply told her about that. This was insane. She sighed and continued her typing.

-

The next morning Rory had made up her mind. She knew what she was going to do, and she was determined to go through with it. If Tristan wasn't going to make a consious choice about her on his own, she was going to force him into one. After several hours of thinking, she had decided what to do about it.

That morning, she walked towards her classroom with a determined expression. She was apprehensive, and a little excited. Whatever happened, she knew she couldn nolonger deal with the constant apathy she had been forced to endure. Shee needed something to happen, to break the endless string of noncommitted signals and stolen glances not returned.

Tristan's locker was standing walking in front of her, towards the classroom. She took a deep breath, then,

"Tristan," she said. She hadn't spoken to him since the night of the date from hell, so this first step was strange enough. He turned, the sound of her voice calling his name finally driving him to look at her. He leaned against the wall behind him, his face taking on a strange mix of resignation and interest. He didn't say anything, just looked at her, waiting for her to make her next move.

She stared into those blue eyes for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on behind them. Finally, she ran out of patience. She obeyed her impulse. She dropped her bag and reached up, pulling his face down to hers and kissing him quickly. She did it to gauge his reaction, and to show him how she felt. This seemed a more desirable, not to mention simpler method than any words were.

She began to pull away, ready to face the consequences of her rash actions, when he surprised her. He pulled her back to him, not letting her end the kiss. Suddenly he turned her, and Rory found herself being pressed againt the wall. His tongue brushed lightly against the edge of her lip, and she opened her mouth to him. Lost in the fantastic impossibility of the situation, she almost didn't notice his lips break contact with her own. She remained as she was, still under his spell.

Her eyes were shocked open when he pounded his fist against the wall next to her head. Suddenly things weren't so happy anymore. He paced to the wall at the other side of the corridor and then back to her.

"You can't just _do_ that!" he said angrily. The halls were now clear of students, and the sound of his voice seeming louder in the opressive silence surrounding them. Rory was at a complete loss for words.

"I...what?" she asked perplexedly.

"You can't just do whatever you want, whenever you want! You can't just k...don't you even care about your boyfriend?" he finished bitterly. Rory's mouth fell open.

"Tristan what in the hell are you talking about? What boyfriend?" she asked. His eyes cleared somewhat.

"You...don't...have a...?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she sputtered. What was going on?

"No boyfriend." he repeated. Rory had had enough.

"No!" she exploded, "I don't! And what would give you that idea? It's warped? What, is this some weird habit you've picked up? Kissing girls and then losing your ever fucking mind?" She was furious. This wasn't the way things were supposed to happen.

"Mary..."

"Rory! And if you're going to act like such a braindead idiot then you had at least better get my name right! A boyfriend? Honsetly, what the f--" her words were cut off by his lips on hers. He kissed her hungrily, clasping his fingers in hers and holding them against the wall above her. She leaned into him as he devoured her, suddenly lost once again in him. The pair remained connected for what seemed like ages, and Tristan finally came up for air. He leaned his forehead on hers, both of them breathing heavily.

"Tristan," she said after she had caught her breath, "what--" he kissed her again.

-

The pair walked into class deshevelled and late, and unable to wipe foolish grins from their faces. Rory mumbled a fast apology to the teacher, and Tristan didn't say anything at all. They took their seats and tried to pretend they were paying attention to the lesson.

After class Tristan waited for Rory by her desk. She collected her books and Marty walked over, unaware of the new situation. Tristan looked up and shot him a glare so full of rage and mistrust that the curly haired boy backed away, and left before Rory had time to notice the exchange. Tristan sighed inwardly at the thought that he would have to talk to Marty, and soon.

"Ready?" her voice came to him, and once again he was grinning helplessly.

"Yeah, cmon, Mary," he said, and she rolled her eyes at him. This time, however, it wasn't such a bad thing.

-

He walked her to her dorm room, having spent the entire day together. They frequented coffeeshops, libraries, parks, and restaurants. Rory found herself in a suddenly blissful state of mind. Her happiness was only dampened by the fact that it had to end now.

"Goodnight," he whispered, kissing her softly. She smiled, and then remembered the question she had meant to ask him all day.

"Tristan," she said seriously, "What gave you the idea that I had a boyfriend?" he shrugged uncomfortable, and ran his hand through his hair.

"Something I heard."

"From who?"

"A friend. I...need to talk to them before I do anything else, okay?" Rory nodded. She understood perfectly.

"Good night," she murmered, and he leaned over for one last kiss before she closed the heavy mahogany door.

"That is rediculous! You are absolutely out of your mind!" she heard Paris shout.

"Oh, so you're excusing everything proven false by Aristotle? How can you possibly ignore that?"

"Aristotle was an ass! He played off the ideas of his teacher and claimed them as his own! Who do you think came up with this idea of a philosopher king in the first place?"

"Aristotle taught that King! And wasn't Plato just as much a commiter of plagarism? Didn't he steal everything he knew from Socrates? The man had no oppinions!"

"Jess!" Rory said in shock, adressing the guy arguing heatedly with her room mate.

"Hey, Ror," he greeted. "How's life in preppy hell?"

* * *

**Wooooooh!**

**This had better come with reviews, because you totally got what you wanted this chapter! More to come next time, including the charming clash of Jess and the rest of Rory's world. Fuuuuuun.**

**Oh, and nobody go see Hostel, becuase it's not scary at all, and not even sufficiently gross to make up for that. Total waste of time and money.  
**


	9. Time goes by, so slowly

Jess hadn't spent the night. At 9:30 he'd left the girls dorm and gone to sleep above Luke's. Rory spent the entire hour he was there in suprised happiness. Could this day have possibly gotten any better? She didn't mention her day with Tristan to Paris or Jess, she wanted to talk to Jess first. However, it looked like she didn't have much of a choice.

"So, Gilmore, I hear you're the new flavor." she said right after Jess left. Rory sighed with resignation. At least Paris had waited for Jess to leave the room.

"I'm not an ice cream, Paris." Paris clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"I'm disapointed, Gilmore. I thought you were above DuGrey's antics, I really did."

"Hey, be fair. Things are really weird right now." Rory fell back onto her bed, enjoying the relaxation she felt even as she met Paris' hard glare.

"Weird because he's making you buy the condoms?" she arched one eyebrow in disapproval.

"No!" Rory protested. "Weird becuase neither of us knows what we are. At least...I don't..." Paris' eyes softened slightly.

"You're a glutton for misery, if you keep seeing this kid."

"How did you even know?"

"News travels fast. Besides, you two weren't exactly descreet today, skipping around like a pair of newlyweds." Rory blushed. "What did you do when he tried to go down on you?" Rory was shocked.

"He didn't! Why would you..."

"Wow." Paris cut her off. "That must be the longest he's even been with a girl without doing anything. Your sure you were with his all day?"

"Paris, be serious."

"I am." Rory gulped.

"So..." she floundered. "New topic."

"Alright, how about the man meat who surprised you tonight?" Paris asked, trying to appear nonchalant. However, the interest was apparent on her face. Rory decided to end that before it started.

"He's gay." she said seriously. Paris' face fell slightly, her disappointment tangeable in the silence. Suddenly her mouth formed a reuful grin.

"Gee, Gilmore, I sure know how to pick 'em." she said wryly. "Alright, scratch that off my to do list. Now I have time to start studying for my Latin mid year." Rory giggled. She made the strangest friends.

-

The next morning she went to Lukes, and was greeted by a very perplexing sight. Tristan sat at the bar, calmly conversing with Jess. Jess stood behind the counter, wiping out mugs.

"Hey, ror!" Jess called when he saw her enter, and she cautiously approached the pair. Tristan turned and grinned at her.

"Hey, Mary," he said, standing and kissing her softly on the lips. Her skin warmed at the nickname. Suddenly she didn't hate it so much anymore. It was over almost before it began, just a fast hello kiss. Rory loved that he did the 'hello kiss.'

"Oh..." Jess said with new interest in his tone, "Are you two a thing?" Tristan stuttered.

"We're...uh..." Rory had no idea what to say. They stood in awkward confused silence, which Jess thankfully broke.

"Ambiguous, got it. Nice." he moved on to the enxt coffee mug. Rory sat down next to the blond guy, and looked expectantly up at Jess.

"Yeah, yeah, it's coming. You're the only one who takes extra espresso shots, so I need to let the machine warm up."

"Jess, before I left, there was this guy." Rory announced suddenly, flad she remembered. She had been feeling guilty about not telling her best friend ever since that fateful day.

"Matt? Yeah, I know. We were...I don't know. It didn't last very long." Rory sighed.

"Sorr, that sucks."

"I know! He was the worst kisser I have ever met." he pouted, throwing Rory into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, that kind of 'sucks.'" she corrected herself.

"It's alright though, I bounce back fast." Jess said urbanely. He handed Rory a piping cup, which she gratefully accepted. Tristan grinned at her. She was starting to enjoy it, he never smirked at her anymore. Just genuine smiles. She took a long sip, smiling right back at him. Jess took in the cloying sight and rolled his eyes. Just then, Luke came down the stairs.

"JESS WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!" he thundered. Jess blinked.

"I shut off your alarm," he said mildly, "you needed sleep."

"Oh...uh...thanks," Luke said, sufficiently deflated.

"Don't, just looking at you was making me tired." Jess said. Luke scowled again. He looked around, searching for something to be mad about.

"Why is the espresso machine on?" he asked suspiciously. His gaze fell on Rory. "No! You're going to kill her with that stuff!" he harped, and Jess shrugged.

"Hasn't happened yet," he reasoned. Rory smiled sweetly up at the surly man.

"What do you want?" he turned and asked Tristan agressively. Tristan shook his head.

"Nothing, thanks."

"Then quit squatting in my diner." he ordered, and stomped back up the stairs. Rory and Tristan stood to leave, just before Colin and Logan entered through the windowed door.

"Hey!" Logan greeted.

"We saw you come in and figured there was some reason for it." Colin said, looking around the diner with some distaste. "Still not sure what that is...exactly..."

"Hey," Jess announced his presence from behind the counter. "Do you guys want anything?"

"Who are you?" Logan asked curiously. He was the same age as the students, yet definitely didn't attend Chilton.

"Jess. Visiting. Coffee?" his response was short.

"Thanks. No." Logan matched the tone.

"Okay then can we please leave? This place just _reeks_ of oil." Colin whined. Rory smiled a goodbye at Jess and allowed herself to be guided out by Tristan. She was going to be late for class, anyway.

-

Tristan exited his calculus class with strong resolve. He had to talk to Marty, there was no more putting it off. Everytime he was with Rory he spotted Marty. Or at least, it felt that way. Either Marty was following them around, or he was thinking way too much about this.

He waited for Marty on the steps, having set up the meeting earlier that morning. He told himself it was nothing, that perhaps Marty had meant something different, or possibly had just been confused. After all, he was Marty. However, just the sight of the curly haired head emerging from the throng of students filled him with uncontrollable rage.

"Marty." he said through clenched teeth. Marty paused at the blond boy's cold tone, but sat on the bench next to him.

"Hey, Tristan," he said cheerily.

"Why did you lie?" Tristan asked. There was no point in beating it around the bush, and besides, he didn't have that much patience.

"Lie about what?"

"Mary." he said her name softly, suddenly lacking breath. He awaited his answer.

"Look...uh...I..."

"Marty!" Tristan raised his voice slightly.

"I saw you with her, you know," Marty said, his face darkening. "I saw you with her. You can't hide it."

"What?" Tristan said in disbelief. "Of course! We're...close. Why did you lie?"

"I love her, Tristan, you know that. You know what that means." Marty's voice tembled with intensity.

"Are you kidding me!" Tristan scoffed.

"Stay away from her, buddy? For me?" now the smaller boy pleaded, his voice taking on a wheedling note.

"Marty she's with me. Okay?"

"No! She's different!"

"Exactly. So leave her alone, or you'll find yourself in quite a lot of pain." Tristan said, standing to leave. He couldn't take anymore of this. Marty wa slosing his mind, or something.

"Tristan!" Marty squirmed, his voice anguished now. Tristan clamped his jaw firmly shut and walked away, deliberately turning his back on the pathetic character on the bench.

-2 days pass...-

"Tri...s..." Rory moaned. He kissed her again, moving to her neck. She arched into him, her head tilted to give him better access. His mouth trailed all over her neck, leaving soft kisses, leaving soft bites. He moved back up to her lips, and she kissed im back hungrily.

He leaned further in, sandwiching her between his own body and the wall of the chimeney. She caressed his tongue with her own, and he clasped his fingers in hers. Slowly he pushed her hands above her, eventually pinning them to the brick above her head. She was in heaven.

"Mare," he said breathlessly, leaning his head on hers and catching his breath, "You are a treasure."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," she said with a smile, accompanied by a golden laugh. After a minute she grew pensive, or at least as much as she could given the proximity of his body.

"Tristan...what are we?" she asked. They had danced around the question for several days, but it was clear;y on both of their minds.

"Don't be silly," he said, and kissed her once on the side of her neck. "You're my girlfriend." he kissed the other side. Rory grinned.

"Marty will be so disappointed," she said wryly, and was surprised when he suddenly pulled away, serious now.

"What?" he asked.

"Um...I don't know...he just follows me a lot, that's all." Tristan's blue eyes took on a darker cast, and Rory suddenly regretted having been the cause. She leaned forward and kissed him softly.

"It's no big deal, okay?" she whispered, and he closed his eyes and nodded.

"It's getting pretty late," he said then, lowering her hands and looking around at the starry sky. The roof had become Rory's favorite place in the world, and she snuck up here with Tristan whenever she had the chance.

"Yeah," she admitted regrettfully. He put and arm around her, adn together they went back into the school.

-

The next morning Rory went to Lukes, and found it nearly empty. Her friend was clad in flannel pjs, and rolled his eyes when she grinend at him.

"Don't say it," he warned.

"What?" Rory asked innocently.

"I forgot to pack PJs, and these are Luke's."

"Would I tease you?" she asked, her eyes wide in mock sincerity.

"Just cause you're cute doesn't mean I wont pop you at the word lumberjack." Rory laughed.

"I'm serious. Mention anything about a pet ox and I'll give you decaf."

"!" Rory gasped in horror, "You wouldn't!" he handed her a cup, and she hesitently took a sip. It was safe. She sat at the bar for a few minutes, and then Jess spoke. His voice was quiet, as if he was suddenly afraid she'd run away.

"Ror," he said.

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk." This was it, the conversation she had both anticipated and dreaded.

* * *

**Hah!**

**You have to wait for that one.**

**I'm sorry this took so long, but I have exams these days.**

**I call this phase 2 of the story, and I think there will be 3. 4. 3 1/2. **

**I'll try to have the next chapter out fast, please read and respond!**


	10. Let it all fall apart

No. She wasn't ready to discuss her mother, not yet. Rory swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Her blue eyes fixed intently on Jess's face, but she didn't see him. Suddenly she was back in the day her mother had left her. It was like this whenever she let her mind drift, and preventing herself from envisioning her Lorelai's haunting face had become somewhat of a chore. It was almost a relief to hear Jess's words break free from his lips and rock her foundations.

"It's about your father." The thought tumbling relentlessly into Rory's head ceased immediately, pushed back by the shock if nothing else.

"My father?" she asked numbly. Jess sighed theatrically, and placed a hand disparagingly on her shoulder.

"Well, Ror, I knew we would have this talk eventually. You see, when a man and a woman--"

"I _know_ where babies come from, thanks." Rory rolled her eyes. She was thankful his teasing bought her a little time to think. Now she had formulated her thoughts, had composed herself, and was ready to present her fully baked idea.

"Uh...kay. So." she expatiated. Brilliant.

"He wan't to get to to know you, and says he feels really bad about the entire situation."

Rory rolled her eyes. She couldn't help it. The idea that her father wanted to join her life after so many years of figurative nonexistance just wasn't possible. It was a little annoying.

"Look, I don't think this guy is going to win any prizes for father of the year," Jess continued, "But he _is_ your father. That means a lot." He looked at her meaningfully, and Rory got the point. Jess had never really known his own father, becuase his mother was so sporatic. Then again, knowing the guys Lizz frequented with, maybe he didn't want to.

"I get it." Rory sighed. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let him come back into my life." Jess nodded. "I'm going to be late." She grabbed her coffee and left the diner. Tristan was walking towards it when she got outside. By the look on his face, it was clear he could see Rory was upset, but chose not to mention it. After all it was very early, and very crowded where they were. He put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. Rory smiled gratefully. Some things didn't need to be vocalized.

-

"And how does the passage of time contract so seamlessly in this story? What does the author do?" Ms. Stetton asked the class. Rory put up her hand.

"The teacher changes in every sentance. His mother offers a drink to the 3rd grade teacher, then 4th grade, then 5th, et cetera."

"Yes. Now, how does this effect the meaning of the story in accordance to the passage of time..." The professor continued her lecture, and Rory let her mind wander. She had already finished a plague of ticks last week, and had re read it several times since then. Her gaze floated idly over the heads of her classmates. Tristan wasn't in her English class, but she did have a few friends there. Paris sat in the front of the room, busily scrawling notes on her paper. Louise and Madeleine were in the far back corner, gossipping. Of course.

Rory looked around, and nearly jumped out of her seat when she looked directly behind her. Marty sat staring at her, his desk void of any objects. No notes, no pencil, no book. Apparently he had just sat down and stared at the back of her head. His eyes had a haunted look to them, further embellished by the dark purple circles beneath them. His eyebrows lifted up slightly when he caught her gaze, and a pleading look cametp his face. Rory turned back around. This happened more and more often, his surprising her. He always had the same look on his face, the same tortured begging.

Rory tried not to shudder too visibly, and forced her mind back on to the lesson.

-

"And that's the last time I saw either one of them," her voice almost a whisper, Rory finished her story. Tristan sat next to her, cradling her in his arms and kissing her neck softly. It was a less arousing kiss, and more one of comfort. Rory let herself be cuddled, still staring off at the horizon. The sun was rising slowly over the hill which marked the boundary of Chilton, but Rory didn't care. She had spent the most amazing night with Tristan, just talking and sitting on the roof. Even though she had just recounted the story of her mother's death, she felt peaceful and safe.

"I'm so sorry, Mary," he whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder. She leaned her head back onto his.

"Don't be." she smiled sadly. "You are the best thing to happen to me since that day." they sat in silence as she contemplated how intense the last statement had just been. "And I mean that in a strictly non serious, no pressure sort of way." she corrected, and was glad to hear Tristan laugh behind her.

"Mary, there is no way that sentance could ever be non serious no pressure." He paused for a moment. "I love you, Mary." Rory sighed.

"Tristan, you don't have to say that. I was just--"

"Mary."

"Well you don't have to."

"It's the truth." Tristan protested. "Rory Agatha Gilmore, I am actually in love with you."

"Yeah, whatever." Rory said, but a smile played the corner of her lips.

"I--" Tristan's objections were cut off by Rory's silvery peal of laughter. "What?"

"Agatha!"

"Oh," he said sheepishly, "I don't know your last name, so I invented one."

"And all you came up with was _Agatha?_"

"Well...uh...hey what's your middle name, anyway?"

"I'll never tell."

"Not even me?"

"I love you too." Rory said happily. The pair sat in silence.

-

Rory rolled her eyes. "No, Paris, this doesn't mean I'm going to buy him fuzzy handcuffs."

"Yeah, Paris, Rory's more of a fluffy sort of girl. Fuzzy just couldn't cut it." Jess handed his friend a coffee, and tried not to appear too amused when it disappeared in under a minute. "'Nother?" he asked, not waiting for an answer.

Just then the door opened, and Logan entered. He stopped when he saw Rory and Paris, and stood a moment.

"Um."

"You in the right place?" Jess asked lightly. Logan scowled.

"Obviously not. I would never come to a place like this on purpose." He turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

"What was that?" Rory asked.

"Oh, nothing, just a little project of mine." Rory's eyes widened.

"Is he--are you...?" Jess only smiled.

-

It was Spring break. Students went home and visited their families, including Jess. He promised he would be back, though. Rory didn't understand how he could spend so much time away from home, from school.

Tristan had forgone the family visit, as he didn't share the greatest relationship with his father. That had been another rooftop conversation. Instead, he was keeping Rory company. Obviously she wasn't going to visit any family, and Tristan's presence helped her to forget that somewhat.

They did go on the roof, yes, but they had also taken to spending time in Rory's dorm. After all, Paris had left to spend time with her family, and the rooms were empty.

They usually just lay on the bed, talking or doing less innocent things. Tristan never forced himself on Rory though, which was strange to him. He had never waited this long for a girl before. Yet with Rory, he felt it was worth it. She was different.

"Sylvia Plath?" he asked her one day, noticing a book on her nightstand.

"Yeah, she's brilliant. Do you like poetry?" Tristan laughed.

"Yeah, but a different sort of poetry. I'm more of a Bukowski fan." Rory stared at him blankly. "I'll introduce you sometime." Rory smiled and he kissed her nose.

-

Saturday morning. Vacation was dwindling, and Rory already missed it. Her time alone with Tristan had been a blissful escape from her life. The empty halls, usually filled with bustling students, seemed almost surreal. Now there was only one day left.

As had become customary, she lay on her bed with Tristan today. The sunlight filtered in through the window shade, and fell softly on the lounging couple.

"...but the worst part is  
(like jumping off the garage roof)  
Eugene wins again  
because he's not even thinking  
about me." Tristan finished The Bee. "So? What do you think?"

"It's good. Crass, but in a useful sort of way." Tristan grinned. Responding to some unexplainable urge, Rory reached up and poked his dimple. Somehow this sent them into a fit of laughter, the simple joy of one another's company apparent in their actions.

Their laughs subsided, their faces close together. It was unexplainable, the way the mood changed in that instant. Tristan leaned in.

"Mare..." he breathed, and suddenly they were kissing. It was never less than perfect, but this was electric. Every time his lips covered her own, Rory felt her face warm. His hands went behind her head, cupping the back of her neck. His fingers sent shivers down her spine.

She felt frenzied, desperate. She needed his to be closer, but Tristan took his time with maddening inexorability. Rory arched towards him, and his hand moved to the hem of her shirt. It slowly slid beneath, each second sending jolts through Rory. She reached down and pulled his belt open. He looked at her quickly, his blue eyes heated.

They were interrupted suddenly, though. Marty crashed into the room. It was clear he had just returned from his vacation, and his gasping breaths indicated he had run the the dorm. The door wasn't locked, becuase no one else was at the school to interrupt.

"Marty!" Tristan shouted, sitting up. "What the fuck?"

"I..knew...I knew it!" Marty said around his heavy breathing. "I told you to stay away...I did! I...you..."

"Marty get out of here!" Rory screamed, pulling her shirt down.

"How could you? She's mine, you bastard! I knew it! We were best friends!"

"Marty!" Tristan roared. It was too late though, Marty was already backing out of the room.

"I'm sorry I have to do this man, you never should have made me do this..." With that, the curly haired boy slammed the door behind him. When Tristan finally redid his belt and pulled the door open, the hall was empty.

"I guess he got home early..." Rory said quietly.

* * *

**Sorry about the wait you guys, there has been a lot going on these days. I'm still very into this story though, and the end will come soon. Maybe within the next couple chapters? Im thinking this thing is in phase three.**

**Special thanks to gracefulmary, whos review/email/the email that comes with the review shocked me into writing again.**

**Sorry if the style is changed at all, I've been writing nothing but college essays for a while. It might take a little to get me back to the norm.  
**

**Please R&R, I lurve it and miss it and all that.  
**


	11. A taste for coffee

"He what!" Logan exclaimed. He was inside Luke's coffee house, a place he had not been seen around in a long time. However, Colin hadn't returned from vacation yet, and when he had waited for Tristan that morning he was left standing alone. Finally he went in search of Rory.

"He went to master Charleston, and he got Tristan kicked out."

"For being in your room?"

"Yes."

"But you've hung out in our room loads of times. Why can't boys go in girls rooms?"

"I don't know! It's the dumbest rule I've ever heard!" Rory fumed. Tristan had been gone for almost day now, and she was long past sad. She was angry. Angry at just about everything she could possibly be angry about.

She was angry at Marty, of course. She was also mad at headmaster Charleston, for allowing such an asinine rule to exist, mad at Tristan for not fighting to stay, mad at Paris for not getting the automatic lock on the dorm room door fixed, mad at Jess for not being there during the ordeal. Mad at Logan for having known Marty this long without having deleted him.

"I can't believe he's gone." Logan mused, still in shock.

"Logan, I like my angry place right now!" Rory warned. She couldn't stop seeing red now. If she did, she'd be a weepy mess.

Logan nodded knowingly. "Got it."

The pair sat in silence, glaring off in different directions.

Suddenly the diner door opened, and there stood Jess. He carried one bag over his shoulder, but other than that seemed somewhat under prepared.

"My, aren't we packing diet?" Logan bratted. Jess smiled crookedly and raised one eyebrow.

"Aw, you waited up for me? How cute." Logan turned beet red, and stood gruffly.

"Whatever."

Jess watched Logan leave the diner with obvious amusement.

"Something you aren't telling me?" Rory asked distractedly. Jess only smiled.

"Yep."

"Good for you." Rory said around her scowl. She took a sip of her coffee, trying to find someting wrong with it. She had run out of things to be mad at.

"Ouch, if looks could kill." Jess said mildly. Rory recounted the story of the other night with as much accuracy as she could manage through her anger. When she finished her tirade Jess sat down on a stool next to her, thinking hard.

"Is Tristan allowed to visit?"

"No."

"Letters?"

"Mail comes once a week."

"Phone?"

"Jess we have no phones to the outside world here!"

"Hmm." Rory rolled her eyes and lay her head down on the counter in front of her. Her hair fell over her closed eyes and she tried to imagine that the past couple days had never happened.

"You've got to talk to him."

"What?" She asked, lifting her head. "I've already told you. I can't."

"Not Tristan." Realization dawned on Rory and a slow grin spread across her face.

"Oh," she said with an evil glint in her eyes, "That."

-

"Rory?" Marty said in shock. He was at a cafe, reading when Rory walked up to his table and threw his book on the floor.

"Do you hate me?" she asked him. He stared at her, horrified.

"No! Rory, I--"

"Then why do you want me to be unhappy?" she asked. He stuttered, searching for words.

"I just wanted you to...it was Tristan. He--"

"I have been trying to think of a reason why you would do this, I really have." Rory continued relentlessly. "I can't think of anything except that you are a horrible, horrible person."

"Rory you don't know, I was--"

"You think that taking Tristan away will change anything? I _hate_ you, Marty. I loath the very sight of you. Every time I see you I think to myself, 'gosh, I hope I never get that desperate.' What kind of person _does_ this? Honestly! I can't even think of words to describe how small you are to me. You make me sick. Watching you right now is even making me queasy. Go to hell, Marty."

Marty opened his mouth once, then closed it.

Rory couldn't voice everything she was feeling, her words sounding weak in her mind.

"Rory, you're wrong about this." Marty finally spoke.

"...What?" Rory asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

"You'll understand someday, and then you'll--"

"Thank you!" Rory shouted. People in the diner glanced over at the pair. "THANK YOU! You want me to thank you for ruining the one great thing about my life right now? God! Go drink fucking bleach! I hope you fucking choke on your own fucking bile, you disgusting creep! Go eat too many pills, you fucking ass monger! You're nothing! You are a cyst on the ass that is my life! Go fucking die somewhere! I hate you, you motherfucking dipshit! Fucking die!" Tears stood in her eyes, but she didn't care. She was past caring.

"Rory..." he pleaded, his voice anguished.

"Die!" she shrieked, and kicked the table he sat at. It didn't actually fall down, but his coffee toppled over. Not exactly dramatic, but it sure made her feel better. She knew she was getting hysterical, and needed to escape. With one last hateful glare, she turned and ran away from him.

-

Whispers ran all through the school. No one knew exactly why Tristan had been kicked out, apparently Logan knew how to keep a secret. Rory walked the halls swiftly, trying her best to ignore the hushed stares at her.

All anyone knew was that if Tristan was gone, Rory must have had something to do with it. It just made sense, since they were together so often. But why? Had she become jealous of him with another girl? Had he not called her, and she went insane?

Nobody knew what had happened, but everybody knew that something important had changed in their school. Nobody was brave enough to talk to Rory, either. No, they were perfectly content to gossip and whisper, guessing at what could have happened to their beloved king.

It made Rory sick. She went through her classes with a permanent surly scowl marring her face, and even Paris told her she seemed somewhat highstrung.

She knew she was only cloaking her sadness in fury. It was obvious to everyone, including herself. She didn't care, though. With Lorelai gone and now Tristan, she couldn't face both truths at the same time. She didn't even want to think about her dad right now. Mixed up with the sadness and loss and misdirected anger, she couldn't run the risk that her oppinion of him would lower even further. He _was_ her father after all, as Jess said.

Instead, she focused her energy on blocking the world out.

Paris, of course, was one of the few people who knew the truth.

She had listened to her friends story with an increasingly icy look on her face, and then immediately excused herself from the room. Rory hadn't taken any notice.

The next day, Marty was walking around with a black eye and a broken nose. Rory was never actually sure if Paris, Logan, or Jess did that. All of them seemed likely candidates.

At least things seemed to be looking up for Jess and Logan. Though Logan remained hostile in public, the pair spent more and more time together. If you saw one, the other must be near. Logan would never admit what was going on to anyone, he was still having problems accepting it himself. He wasn't doing anything _wrong_, of course, he had just...doveloped a taste for coffee.

* * *

**Okay guys, the next chapter is coming sooner and it will be longer, I swear! Maybe I'll end this thing next chapter even.**

**No, I'm not going to make the Jess Logan thing a large part of the story. Not every couple has to be a focus, and I really think it would take away from what will happen with Rory and Tristan.**

**I'm sort of into endings that are happy but twisted in some way, so, yeah. :)**

**R&R please, your comments last chapter were great! **


	12. Mmmphloogapop

It was a little before midnight when Rory heard the knock on the door. She opened her sleepy eyes and wearily got out of bed. The quiet knocking continued until she aproached the door. She glanced over at Paris's bed and saw it empty.

"Uh..." she groaned. She was going to kill Paris for waking her up. She unlocked the door and a pair of lips crashed onto hers. Her eyes opened in shock. Tristan was kissing her. She leaned in and his hands cupped her face. His thumb gently brushed the edge of her jaw.

Suddenly she pulled him inside and closed the door.

"Tristan! I thought you were gone for good! I missed you so much."

"Never." he replied, smiling a little.

"How? After Marty..." she stopped, realizing that this might not be the best conversation to have at midnight. After all, people would have a hard time sleeping with Tristan shouting down the rafters. His face was already clouding.

"I...I don't know what to do about him yet." He sighed. Rory decided a new topic would lighten the mood.

"How did you get in here? They took you away on a plane!"

"Hey, give me some credit. I've got some heavy connections around this place." Rory grinned and leaned in for another kiss. Finally she pulled away, and rested her forehead on his.

"Tristan..." she said, growing somber. "What are you doing here? If anyone catches you..."

"I...had to come." he cut her off. He stroked her cheek tenderly and his breath caught. "You make me forget how to breath." Rory blushed. A smile broke forth onto her face, lighting up her features. It wasn't a smile of anything in particular, just the portrayal of the happiness she felt bubbling up from within her. She kissed him again, this time deeper.

His tongue ran lightly along the inside of her lip, and she opened up to him. He gently tilted her head back, supporting her neck and tracing circles along the back of her neck.

"So..." she said against his mouth, "where are you going to sleep tonight?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead," he admitted, and kissed her again.

"Spend the night here." she offered.

"Sweet, Mare, but I won't get much sleep if I'm in the same room as you."

"We don't need to sleep."

-

Rumpled clothing littered the floor around the bed where the content couple lay together. Tristan lay behind Rory, his arms encircling her waist and his head rested on her shoulder. Rory paused, catching her breath and coming back to the real world.

"Holy shit!" she squealed. Tristan grinned. "But like, Holy Shit! Why have I never done that before!" he laughed openly.

"Coming over to thee dark side, Mary?"

"Let's do it again!"

"Right now?"

Rory sat up and turned her head, looking behind her. "Yess!"

Tristan laughed again. Then he reached his head up and kissed her shoulder blades in turn. "Cool it just a minute, I'm still not back yet." Rory turned around and lay down once more, her face resting on his chest.

"Mmmphloogapop." She mumbled.

"What?" Tristan asked in amusement.

"Just...trying to find words." she said. He tucked her hair behind one ear.

"Mmmphloogapop." he agreed.

They were woken from their reverie by the crashing sound of the door flinging open. Marty stepped into the room, drenched in sweat.

"You didn't come out, man!" he cried.

"You didn't lock the door?" Tristan asked Rory.

"I wasn't thinking about the door!" she protested.

"I was waiting for you! I was waiting for you to come out, man, but you never did!" the end of his outburst rose several octaves, until he was squeaking.

"Marty," Tristan started, "I've already--"

"Shut up!" Marty shouted. Suddenly his arm disappeared into his coat pocket and he pulled out a handgun.

"Jesus!" Tristan cried out, caught off guard.

"I said shut UP!" the flustered boy shrieked. Rory reached out to the bedpost beside her.

"Marty," she said, "I'm just putting on my robe. Okay?"

"Why did you do it, man?" The curly haired boy asked Tristan. Tristan ran a hand through his tousled hair, his blue eyes quinting in perplexion.

"Do what?"

"YOU...you _spoiled_ her...she was innocent...perfect..."

"So you were waiting for me to to come out of her room to shoot me?" Tristan roared, sitting up. Marty cocked the gun.

"I'm warning you, man!" he waid sharply, pointing the gun at Tristan. Rory tied the robe closed and slowly stood up, her hands in the air.

"Don't move!" Marty shouted shrilly, moving the gun from Rory to Tristan. Rory ignored him, walking slowly towards him and speaking in a low voice.

"Marty, don't do this. You don't want to hurt anybody. You don't have to do this, Marty, you can still get out of here. Just leave Tristan and I alone, Marty, please..."

"Don't move!" he cried. Tears streamed openly down his face, contorted in anguish. "Back up! against the wall!" Rory moved to where he said. Now he was between her and Tristan.

"Why, man, now it's too late!" he said once again to the boy in the bed, his voice cracking. "Now I have to..." he shook the gun at Tristan.

"No, Marty, you don't..." Rory softly put in.

"Yes I do! I will!" he cried.

Suddenly Tristan tried a new tactic. He smirked. "No, Marty, you won't. If you were going to you would have done it already."

Marty stared at him.

"Do you think that if you shoot me you'll get away from all of this? Do you want a persons death on you hands? Even if all of that works out. Lets just say it miraculously does. Do you think there is _any_ chance Mary wont despise you?"

-

Marty tried to keep his hand from shaking. He was way in over his head. He needed Rory, that was all. This was the only way.

"Marty, I'm your friend. You're not going to kill me." Tristan said. Marty wiped sweat from his brow. Tristan was no friend of his. Tristan was his enemy. Tristan took Rory.

"You know what Marty? Go ahead. Do it. I _dare_ you." Tristan said, staring into Marty's eyes. They both knew the truth already. Marty knew he couldn't do it.

-

Rory trembled against the wall. Tristan had just dared Marty to shoot him. Was he out of his mind? She had to do something. Marty was still holding the gun. She didn't know very much about firearms, but she knew that he had made the gun make 'the clicky noise that bad guys in movies always make their guns make.' The next step would come with a bullet.

She couldn't let Tristan die. She loved him. He couldn't die. She would die from heartbreak, corny as she knew that sounded. She inched slightly to her left, and picked up a heavy brass vase from an end table. She silently tip toed up behind Marty.

Neither of the boys noticed her, they were trapped in a staring match. A battle of the wills. It made it that much more surprising when Rory broke the tense silence, and slammed the vase down on the back of Marty's head. The action was awarded a sickening thud, and the boy crumpled onto the floor. Rory dropped the vase and hugged her arms around herself. She was shaking.

Tristan was suddenly there, hugging the trembling girl in a strong embrace. She didn't know how he'd gotten his boxers on so fast. She buried her head in his chest, and he rubbed her back with his arms. She'd felt so strong during the actual actions that she was surprised when she began sobbing violently into his arms.

"I love you I love you I love you I love you..." he murmured to her. After what had just happened, it felt good to just hold her. Unfortunately, it only lasted a couple minutes.

"What the _hell?_" an enraged Paris entered the dorm. Tristan and Rory were barely decent, crying in each other's arms. The floor was covered with clothing. Marty lay on the floor. A dark stream of blood had trickled down from his head, mingling with the water from the vase which lay near him. The result wasn't pretty.

"Paris..." Tristan said, ready to explain. He couldn't, though.

There were no words.

* * *

**HAH!**

**Next chapter will be the absolute last one, the falling action, where everything gets resolved loose ends tied up blah blah blah.**

**Kay?**

**Ahh I'm so excited to have gtten this chapter out! I've been sitting on it since Chapter 1, and woowee!**

**R&R PLEASE, this is...yeah. PLEASE. **


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